Saturday, September 24, 2016

Happy Fall, dear readers! I adore this season and when it actually begins to feel like fall around here, I'll be even happier! In the meantime, creating with fall in mind puts me a step or two closer to my favorite season so let me share a few of the recent fall additions to my Etsy shop.

I'll begin with this card, which, as the sentiment suggests, is not true of the weather where I live, but perhaps it befits you. I'm longing for sweater weather! I don't usually make cards like this, where there are no layers and everything is lined out and straightforward, but every now and then, it's good to stray from your norm, right? You can find it in the shop here.

I love how these gift bags turned out! They are, in fact, recycled from a project I made two years ago (!!) from a Gossamer Blue kit. I've been sitting on the leaf and feather tags that whole time, trying to decide what to do with them. Last week, I turned them into these gift bags.

I think they'd make fabulous wraps for hostess gifts...package up tea towels, candles, soaps, stationery, or gift cards and present to the host(ess) at the next party you're attending.

I'll let you in a little secret: You actually get FOUR bags altogether because these come packaged in a similar fourth set. The gift bag sizes pictured here range from 3" x 4" to 5" x 7" (the 4th bag for packaging is larger). {Peek at this blog post for the 4th tag set--it's pink, peach, and orange-y yellow.}

Included are the layered feather and leaf tags, embroidery floss tassels, and the assorted ribbons and lace you see on each bag.

They are very fragile so do keep that in mind if you decide to purchase these. I'll package them with great care for shipment. Upon arrival, carefully slip your gift into the bag and deliver! Find them in the shop here.

Up next are my signature mini clothespins in new patterns and colors for fall (or anytime!). I still love these for gift wrapping and I use them for that All. The. Time. But if you're not so much into that, they are useful for home decor, too. Clip pictures to string or corral loose papers in your home office or kitchen. Think these would be more helpful to you if they had magnets on the back or were the larger, standard size pins? No problem! Send me a message through Etsy and we'll chat about it!

How pretty would these be as wedding decor? I love all the new colors and patterns, obviously, but these rose gold glitter clips are so pretty in person! I can definitely see them at a bridal shower, or even a baby shower. Blush pink is very on-trend at the moment and I, for one, have been smitten with it for years.

I'm not done adding new items to the shop so definitely keep stopping by! If you see something you like, I'd love it if you "hearted" it, too! Have questions? Comment below or message me on Etsy. As always, thank you so much for spending a few minutes with me today!

Friday, September 23, 2016

My friend Sarah Bargo has recently launched a new Etsy shop and blog, in which she sells scrapbooking kits. It's got the dreamy name of Sugar Maple Paper Co. and just like Sarah herself, her kits are gorgeous and full of fun! She sent me the Sunkissed kit to play with and I love it! The range of products includes a little something for everyone, from sweet and summery to the golds and the flowery bits. I created a mess of projects to show you just how much fun it really is...

Of course I had to make some tags and this duo is all about the gold and pops of bright yellow. I painted part of the 'be daring' die cut with a gold paint pen (so easy!) and paired it with the lemon from the Dear Lizzy die cut pack. Both of these are add-ons in the Sugar Maple shop and they go perfectly along with the kit so don't forget to snag them, too ;)

For the base of both of my tags, I used 3x4 cards from the Pebbles cut apart sheet. When I create anything, whether it's a card or a tag, I lay all of my paper bits and embellishments out on my desk and then just pick and choose, layer and test, until I get something I like. That's how I got the end results for both of these tags. I like texture, too, so alternating 'flat' paper with other things like lace, glitter, doilies, trims, and the vellum and acetate die cuts brings depth to any project.

The cards came together the same way. I used several snippets of the Pink Paislee Numbers sheet as little backgrounds. They were perfect because after you cut the sheet apart, they're all different sizes--so convenient for layering this way!

The swan paper! I wish scrapbook paper came in larger sheets so I could wrap bigger boxes with them. But until they do, I'll still use them on smaller ones like these.

I may have been influenced by the 80's band The Wild Swans in coming up with the first box (!?!?!?) but anyhow, I intended it to be a gift for a baby girl, pairing the 'stay wild' die cut with the 'never stop growing' phrase sticker. The aqua and green cactus card is an unexpected color pop in the sea of pink, and that's exactly why I chose it.

The set is actually a baby shower gift for a friend who is having a baby girl. I love the idea of this matching pair--and a gift for the mother and the baby. Each wrap and phrasing was deliberate and while silver usually takes a back seat to gold for me these days, I adore it as an accent here. I used silver because of the sequin trim included in Sunkissed and I'm so happy with the way it turned out!

I have a few more projects from Sunkissed which I'll share in detail over the weekend. In the meantime, please stop by Sugar Maple Paper Co. and snag yourself some goodies (the kits go fast)! You can also get loads of ideas for using the kits by visiting the blog. (And if you check out the blog, you'll probably see the second round of projects I just mentioned ;)

Monday, September 19, 2016

As summer came to a close, I got back into the swing of things--crafting (and sharing!), the school routine, appointments, and fall tee ball. I was approached about a few guest spots on different creative teams and in addition to needing to keep track of all of those things, the holidays are approaching and planning ahead for those is a must.

I adore my Papertrey InkMoments Inked Binder planner and there is a multitude of convenient things about it. Unfortunately, I lack a large workspace to keep it out in the open at my desk so I generally use it on the go or keep it in the kitchen. That said, I've been feeling lately that I need to use something in tandem with it--something with a bit more space to write and something I can keep on my work desk at all times.

Enter this blotter-sized desk calendar. I purchased it from Paper Source at the end of 2015 but have only just begun to utilize it (they have a 2016-2017 version, as well). Once I came up with a plan to keep it on my desk (under my big crafty mess) I put my MI planner stamps to work.

In addition to plan-making in the date squares, I use the empty squares for keeping track of major projects that I need to be working on for the month. "GET IT DONE" from the Posted II stamp set is just what I needed to fit the space and remind me that a deadline is looming.

The right-hand side of the calendar offers ample space for notes and I used "GET IT DONE" again here for a few more reminders, as well as "START HERE" from the same set. Under that heading is anything that I need to start thinking about the following month. (And if I can get a head start on any of it during the current month, even better!)

I use the tiny heart and star from "Planner Banners" to indicate plans or events, generally fun things. The "Blog Banners" set has great stamps for project due dates so I use them here whenever I have a work deadline. The "Everyday Symbols" set, which I use often on a calendar similar to this that I made for my son, is just as useful here--especially since we had 2 dentist appointments and 2 hair appointments this month. There are so many useful words and icons throughout the entire Moments Inked stamp repertoire that I can almost always find what I need.

This approach has kept me on track for the last month and a half and I'm already working on October's schedule. When I leave the house, my binder planner goes with me, but when I'm deep into a project--embellishments, stamps, and papers strewn about all over my small workspace--I love having this underneath it all. I simply push the bits aside to check dates--and the inks I use pop right out and make it a snap to maintain a hectic schedule. Planning doesn't have to be relegated to your planner, but whatever your medium, Moments Inked stamps have you covered!

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Hello, friends! I'm popping in to share a few recent additions to the Thurston Post Etsy shop. I'm getting into the spirit of fall (even if we're having temperatures above 90 degrees today :) with some autumnal hues and themes.

First up is a beautiful embellishment / gift wrap kit. Shades of peach, deep pink, and green mix with copper and gold to inspire warmth when the temps begin to fall. Glittered feathers and leaves remind us of the season's bare trees and migrating birds...

I wanted to capture my favorite season with a few of my favorite things...tiny gold deer, pretty clothespins, and bold floral tags, cut from patterned paper by Maggie Holmes.

Of course, each kit comes packaged in a 6x8 muslin bag with extra tags and one more tassel, because, well, packaging is just my most favorite thing ever!

Need a few ideas for using the kit? The contents work with paper crafts across the board: card making, scrapbooking, planner pages, etc. I personally love to use them for gift wrapping. The kit will go a long way if you have small packages, but even if you're wrapping up bigger boxes or gift bags, you can still create beautiful gifts with the tags and embellishments included.

Get the kit here. There are a few other kits for sale, as well, and in the coming weeks I'll be adding another handful. The holidays are right around the corner and these are incredibly useful to have on hand--always be prepared!

I've begun to add one-of-a-kind gift wrap bundles to the shop and they've proven to be very popular! You'll receive all the trimmings for foolproof pretty presents...simply slip your gift into the bag and deliver! If you're a fan of my layering style, then this is the item for you!

This particular set comes with the makings of 3 wraps. Three tag sets and 3 muslin gift bags (from tiny and simple {3" x 4"} to larger and extravagant {6 inches x 8 inches}), plus a few trims--ribbons, tassels, and even a couple of yarn pom poms. These are my favorite fall colors this year, mustard yellow, very pale peach, and silvery aqua blue (plus gold, of course). I actually have an entire embellishment kit coming out in this palette in a couple of weeks, but for now, this gift wrap set will go home with one lucky buyer.

Before I go, I also wanted to mention that I've been making sets of layered gift tags like crazy! Over the summer, I took a couple of months out of the spotlight with a break from design teams and social media but I never stopped creating. In that time, I probably made 90+ tags and I've slowly been getting them photographed and listed on Etsy. I've sold quite a few so far, but I still have loads more coming! Here are a few sets that are still available:

I'm adding new items almost daily so be sure to stop by the shop often. If you're looking for a deal, check out the S A L E section for some great steals! Quantities are very limited so if you see something you like, snag it quick! Enjoy your weekend, my friends! xoxo